The consortium made of Raiffeisen Capital & Investment S.A, ING Bank and BRD - Groupe Societe

Local lender BCR has taken a EUR 75 million loan from the European Bank for Investments (EIB), which will be channeled towards financing for small and medium enterprises. Companies with up to 249 employees, including new companies, which work in industry, tourism, services, agriculture and construction can ask for financing from this line.

The National Integrity Agency (ANI) bill has passed the Senate voting and remained unchanged compared to the version which was cleared by the Chamber of Deputies last week. The law had to be re-examined following a Constitutional Court ruling. The bill needs to be signed by Romanian president Traian Basescu. It includes the mandatory declaration of assets and interests by trade union leaders.

The Bucharest University will open on Wednesday, August 25, the Center for Japanese Studies, the first such center in Romania, aiming to promote and support the research activity in Japanese studies. The project benefits from the support from the Japanese Government and from several Japanese NGOs. The center will provide the tools for research projects on Japan and training for researchers in Japanese studies.

Shipyard group Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., which is running business in Romania through Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries, may build wind farm technology at a shipyard venture in Romania, depending on demand in Europe, according to a company representative quoted by Bloomberg.

Oil and gas group Rompetrol says it will pay off USD 100 million of the USD 570 million it owes to the Romanian state by the end of the year, according to company representatives who attended a press conference earlier today. The company has already paid USD 71 million from the entire amount. The loan payment, which is due at the end of September this year, stems from Petromidia's refinery debt from 2003, which was converted by the then Government into seven-year maturity bonds, which now need to be repaid, or else they will be converted into shares.

Angela Gheorghiu is a Romanian opera singer and one of the most famous contemporary sopranos. Often compared to Maria Callas, she is known for her powerful and flexible voice, stage presence and the way she brings to life very different opera characters.

Two Romanian projects will be featured at the Venice Architecture Biennale, which will start on Sunday, August 29, and will last until November 21. The two national projects will have their opening on Friday and Saturday at Romania's pavilion in the Biennale and at the Romanian Institute of Culture and Humanistic Research.

Bucharest will have a new stadium next year, when the Lia Manoliu stadium, which is currently in works, will be finalized. The structure of the stadium is 90 percent finalized, according to its constructors, Astaldi-Max Boegl.

Oil and gas company Rompetrol will organize a press conference on Wednesday to clarify issues related to the company's debt to the state, as well as the finalization of the public takeover offer for Rompetrol Rafinare.

Around 4.5 million Romanians have loans, more than the total number of employed people in Romania, according to a report from the Romanian Central Bank (BNR). Out of this number, 500,000 people fall into the riskiest category, with three loans, two with banks and one with a non-banking financial institution.

Companies' and population debt reaches EUR 72 billion – in Ziarul Financiar, Tiriac merges its car dealers – in Ziarul Financiar, Lidl takes 100 Romanians to Germany to train them to become managers – in Ziarul Financiar, BRD pays its employees EUR 13.7 million in bonuses for last year – in Ziarul Financiar, PwC: Romania will produce 520,000 cars in 2014 – in Ziarul Financiar, State prepares for trial with Rompetrol – in Ziarul Financiar, Over 500,000 Romanians have to queue up to pay their social contributions – in Gandul, Interest on deposits has decreased Romanians' savings – in Gandul